TORONTO (AP) — Elly De La Cruz hit a two-run double in the third inning of Friday’s game at Toronto, then promptly stole third base on José Soriano’s next pitch to become the fourth Cincinnati player with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season.
“It’s really special,” De La Cruz said after the Reds lost 6-5 to the Blue Jays. “That means a great season. I know, as a group, the season didn’t go the way we wanted it to, but it’s a great season individually.”
The two-time All-Star shortstop hit his 30th home run in Thursday’s 7-6 win at Atlanta.
Cincinnati is 74-86 with two games remaining
“To hit for power and have speed and be able to steal bases like that, it’s a pretty special thing to do, and it’s a great accomplishment,” said Reds assistant bench coach Mike Napoli, who ran the team Friday under manager Terry Francona's supervision.
Eric Davis was the first Reds player with a 30-30 season, hitting 37 homers and stealing 50 bases in 1987. Barry Larkin had 33 homers and 36 steals in 1996, and Brandon Phillips had 30 homers and 32 steals in 2007.
The 24-year-old De La Cruz has nine homers, 19 RBIs and six stolen bases in September.
“He’s still really young,” Napoli said. “He’s still developing, he’s getting better. He’s hungry to get better, You would expect him to be that superstar. He’s gotten better every single year and we expect him to get better.”
De La Cruz also became the first Reds player and eighth big leaguer since 1900 with at least 30 steals in each of his first four seasons. Kansas City’s Bobby Witt also did it from 2022-25.
De La Cruz grounded out in his first at bat Friday, when Soriano made a between-the-legs stop on his 94 mph one-hopper to the mound.
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Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement throws to first base to force out Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
MIAMI (AP) — Eury Pérez pitched a one-hitter for just the 11th complete-game shutout in the major leagues this season, and the Miami Marlins beat the playoff-bound Atlanta Braves 3-0 on Friday night.
A 23-year-old right-hander, Pérez (8-11) allowed his only hit when Sean Murphy linked a single to left on a first-pitch sinker starting the sixth.
Pérez struck out eight and walked one, throwing 105 pitches for his first complete game in 68 big league starts. Pérez entered 0-3 with a 9.76 ERA in six career starts against the Braves.
This year's MLB shutout total is one below last year. The only seasons with fewer were from 1871-73.
Pérez threw the 21st complete game. There were a record-low 28 in 2024 and 29 last year.
Joe Mack and Griffin Conine homered for the Marlins, who snapped a six-game losing skid against the NL East champion Braves. Miami (79-81) equaled last season's wins total and is trying to avoid a third straight losing season.
Mack homered in the seventh off Grant Holmes (10-6), his 14th this season. Holmes made his second relief appearance of the season after 29 starts.
Heriberto Hernández had an RBI single and Conine homered off Didier Fuentes in a two-run eighth.
Before the game, there was a brief moment of silence for former Marlins pitcher José Fernández on the 10th anniversary the two-time All-Star died in a boating accident.
Braves LHP Brent Suter (3-2, 3.48) and Marlins RHP Jack Ralston (0-2, 4.50) start Saturday.
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Miami Marlins' Otto Lopez hits a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Ray Kerr throws during the first inning of a baseball game, against the Miami Marlins, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Atlanta Braves' Ozzie Albies walks to the dugout after striking out during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Eury Pérez throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Eury Pérez throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
